Index equipment and progressively adjustable signaling means for use therein



Feb. 20, 1945. E s ROSCO 2,370,074

E INDEX EQUIPMENT AND PROGRESSIVELY ADJUSTABLE SIGNALING MEANS FOR USE THEREIN Filed Oct. '7, 1942 2 Sheefcs-Sheet l INVENTOR 5 Rosco:

ATTORNEY Feb. 20, 1945. E. s. ROSCOE INDEX EQUIPMENT AND PROGRESSIVELY ADJUSTABLE SIGNALING MEANS FOR USE THEREIN Filed Oct. '7, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR [.61 Rosco:

ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 20, 1945 AND PROGBESSIVELY max EQUIPMENT 'rnsanm Edwin S. Roscoe. Cleveland,

ADJUSTABLE SIGNALING MEANS FOR USE Ohio, assignor to Yawman and Erin Mfg. 00., Rochester, N. 2., a corporation of New York Application October 7, 1942, Serial No. 461,218

This invention relates to card index equipmentand especially to cards provided with progressively adjustable signals for use therein.

In certain card indexes, especially of the type wherein a series of cards have one of their margins hingedly mounted in a suitable panel so that they rest in overlapping relation with their opposite or free margins in exposed offset position, it has been found convenient to provide a progressively movable signal on each card for adjustment along its exposed margin. The exposed margin of the card was imprinted with a scale and certain indicia, such as numbers or letters to cooperate with the signal in affording a quantitative indication. The signal in the form of a strip, preferably of contrasting color or appearance with respect to the card, was movable through a slit in the margin of the card at the initial indicia thereon so that a part of the signal strip was concealed behind the card and the remainder thereof was exposed along the indicia, as disclosed in the patent to Hutchings No. 1,817,564, granted August 4, 1931. In prior arrangements, as typified by that disclosed in the mentioned patent, a substantial portion of the signal strip was always exposed in indicating position over the indicia even in its minimum setting. Thus, even when it was desired that the strip indcate a zero value, an exposed or indicating portion of the strip always projected beyond the zero mark, so that much confusion has resulted with consequent inaccurate readings.

In accordance with the main feature of the present invention, a novel arrangement of index card or the like and cooperating progressive signal, are provided whereby the likelihood of an inaccurate reading of the signal indication, is great- 1y reduced.

Another feature of the invention relates to a card or the like having a graduated scale beginning at an intermediate point on one of its margins to cooperate with a signal strip movable along said margin, said strip in its non-indicating position being almost completely concealed at the graduated margin of the card. In its indicating position, however, the strip is movable to expose variable portions of its length beginning at the initial or zero reference point of the scale.

The various features and advantages of the invention will appear from the detailed description and claims when taken with the drawings in which:

Fig. l is.a front view of a adapted to support an array which only two are illustrated;

visible index panel of index cards of Fig. 2 is an enlarged section of a support as well as of a card with its signal strip carried thereby, taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 when the signal strip is in its dotted line position;

Fig. 3 illustrates a fragment of a card with a cooperating signal strip in accordance with one feature of the invention;

Fig. 4 likewise shows a fragment of another form of card and progressive-signal strip in accordance with the present invention and Fig. 4a shows a slight modification in the card of Fig. 4;

Figs. 5 and 6 are fragmentary showings of other modified forms of cards and progressive signals;

Fig. '7 illustrates another form of progressive signaling arrangement in which the progressive signal slide cooperates with a paper pocket supported in registering relation with an index card; and Fig. 7a is a sectional view taken onthe line la -la of Fig. 'l

The invention, although it is not limited to any grouping or mounting of the index cards, is herein disclosed in connection with a visible card index file. This file comprises a panel 5 provided at its side edges with raised channels 6, which face inward toward each other in the plane of the panel. These channels engag the ends of supports 1 which lie side by side therein and which are bodily movable sidewise along the panel.

Each support has mounted thereon a holder 8, preferably made of cardboard or like material. The holder adjacent the support is provided with suitable scoring 8a, which parallels th support so that the bottom of the holder can be swun outward with respect to the panel. Since each support is of substantial width, the array of cardboard holders supported thereon, will be in overlapping relation with their respective bottom margins in offset relation. These margins, which are therefore normally exposed, are each enclosed in a channel-shaped transparent sheath 9. The front fold of the sheath has its free margin folded on itself to l e within the sheath proper as indicated at 9a (Fig. 2). The edge 9b of the fold 9a cooperates in retaining the indicating strip in the sheath as will hereinafter be disclosed. The ends of the sheath are fastened to the holder by staples l0, passing through both sides of the sheath as well as through the holder, while the intermediate port on of the sheath has its rear fold only, secured to the holder by a staple ll. Thus the portion of the sheath between the staples l0 affords a pocket to embrace the bottom margin of a record card l2 which is provided on its lower margin with a graduated scale and related indicia, the scale starting at an intermediate point on this margin. The upper corners of the record card are preferably inserted in diagonal slits I: in the holder to retain the card in a definite position thereon. The series of cards are therefore mounted on the respective holders so that the graduations on the several marginal scales are in vertical alinement.

Each card. slightly at the left of the beginning of its graduated scale, has a vertical slot I l of a height to receive a colored indicating strip It, provided at one end with an upwardly extending tab it. The tab is embossed at I 6a so that it can be readily engaged for adjustment, while the tab end of the strip is preferabl provided with a struck-up tongue itb, which engages the inturned edge 9b of the sheath for locking the strip therein (Fig. 2). The leading edge lie of the indicating strip l 5 is oblique.

In prior arrangements, the tab end of the strip,

even in its minimum setting, projected for aoonsiderable distance over the scale'a't the right of the slot H, so that the signal indicated a substantial value when it should have indicated a zero value. In accordance with the present invention, the card is erably horizontal, communicating with the upper end of slot i4 and extending to the left thereof. The length of the slot I! where the slot is horizontal, should be slightly less than the horizontal width of the tab it. inclined with respect to the horizontal, the effective length of this slot in the horizontal direction should be slightly less than the mentioned tab width. Thus the indicating portion of the strip projects beyond the II by an amount determined by the characteristics, such as stiffness, of the stock from which the card I! is made. The strip should project an amount just suflicient so that its right end edge will not drop into the slot [4 where it would catch on the edge of the card defining the right side of this slot. Ordinarily, a portion of the leading end of the strip will project in its minimum setting by an amount varying from .005 to one-thirty-second of an inch so that the exposed indicating portion thereof will appear as a heavy colored line tapering toward the bottom. However, in this minimum setting of the signal strip a portion of its right end edge should preferably register with the zero graduation of the scale on the card l2.

In the modified form of the invention shown in Fig. 4, the slot Na in the margin of the card extends upward toward the left where it communicates with the slot IT. The length of the slot H can be greater than the tab width ii desired but the efiective length of the slots Ila and i! in a horizontal direction, as indicated by the dimension X, should not be less than the tab width. It will b noted that the edge of the card defining the right side of the slot intersects the lower edge of the card at the zero graduation thereon. Thus, when the signal'strip l5 has its right end edge registering with zero; as shown in dotted line position, the exposed portion of the strip will appear as a downwardly extending wedge, since the tab portion of the strip, will be concealed by the overlapping card. Instead of having the slot a, as illustrated in Fig. 4, the slot may have a shape shown at I b in Fig. 4a.

In the modified form of the invention shown in Fig. 5, the card is provided with a slot llc extending upward toward the right, where it communicates with a horizontal slot ll. In this arrangement, the right edge of the signal in its provided with a slot l1, pref- However, if the slot I! is right hand edge of theslot portion of the card receded position must not overlap the zero graduation. Consequently, the dimension Y must be less than the tab width so that the strip in its receded position will not get caught behind the at the right edge of the oblique slot c. It will be noted in this arrangement, that when the strip is in its zero position, the indicating portion of the strip will appear as an upwardly projecting wedge. It will be appreciated in the arrangements of Figs. 4 and 5, that since the edges of the respective cards at the right side of the slots therein are oblique, the leading end edge of the signal strip will ride over the mentioned edge of the card without getting caught.

In the arrangement shown in Fig. 6 the slots l4 and I 1 are similar to those in the arrangement "of Figs. 1 to 3. However, in-this instance the .modiiled form of the invention leading edge I60 of the signal strip is oblique to ride over the vertical edge of the card at the slot is when the strip is being moved toward the right. The bottom right corner of the signal strip appears as a colored indicating wedge when the strip (as shown in dotted lines) is in proper registry with the zero marking on the scale.

In the foregoing arrangements, the lower margin of the card i2, bearing the graduated scale, has been provided with a slot to receive the progressively movable indicating strip I5. In the shown in Fig. 7, the signal-strip-receiving slot has been omitted from the card and instead there is provided an envelope l9 adapted to be received in the sheath 9 in super-imposed relation to the lower margin of the index card also retained in the sheath. This envelope is preferably formed by folding a strip of paper lengthwise on itself with the front fold of the envelope provided with a graduated scale and suitable indicia beginning at an intermediate point thereon. The front fold of the envelope is also provided with the communicating slots Ma and I1 arranged with reference to the initial graduation of the scale in the same manner as shown in the card I! of Fig. 4. The s'gnal strip P5 is received within the envelope with its tab portion i6 projecting through the slot Ma and II. In this arrangement, the index card I! can be withdrawn from the sheath on the support 8 without disturbing the setting of the signal strip. The front fold of the envelope at the end of the slot I1 is notched at "a to provide a tongue l9a which will engage the inturned edge 91) of the sheath. This permits a portion of the envelope holding the signal strip, to expand under the narrow fold to of the Celluloid sheath. This construction, therefore, tends to hold the envelope from pulling out too readily from the pocket and also tends to reduce the effect of the extra thickness within the pocket occasioned by the stock of the envelope and the signal strip therein.

While several diflerent forms of the present invention have been shown, other modifications and variations thereof may be made within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What I claim is:

1. In combination, a card or the like provided with a reference point and having a slit therein at said reference point extending away from one margin thereof and at least one edge of the slit being inclined with respect thereto, said slit having a portion extending in a direction generally parallel to said margin, a movable signal strip including a signaling portion inserted in said slit and guided in part by said inclined edge, said strip being provided at one end thereof with a manipulating tab projecting generally normal to the principal axis of said strip and adapted to extend through the mentioned slit portion, the length of said slit portion and the width of said tab being so related that the leading edge of said signaling portion registers with said reference point in one position of adjustment of said strip.

2. In combination, a card or the like provided with a reference point and having a slit therein at said reference point, said slit having an edge extending inward toward the right from one margin thereof, said slit having a portion extending in a direction generally parallel to said margin, a movable signal strip including a signaling portion inserted in said slit, said strip being provided at one end thereof with a manipulating tab projecting generally normal to the principal axis of said strip and adapted to extend through the mentioned slit portion, the length of said slit portion and the width of said tab being so related that the leading edge of said signaling portion registers with said reference point in one position of adjustment of said strip, said leading edge of the strip being guided in part by the mentioned edge of the slit.

3. In combination, a card or the like provided with a reference point and having a slit therein at said reference point, said slit having an edge inclined inward toward the left from one margin thereof, said slit having a portion extending in a direction generally parallel to said margin, a movable signal strip including a signaling portion inserted in said slit, said strip being provided at one end thereof jecting generally normal to the principal axis of said strip and adapted to extend through the mentioned slit portion, the length of said slit portion and the width of said tab being so related that the leading edge of said signaling portion registers with said reference point in one position of adjustment of said strip, the inclined edge of the slit serving to guide the leading edge of said strip.

4. In combination, a card or the like provided with a reference point and having a first slit therein at said reference point extending in a direction generally normal to one margin thereof, said card having a second slit communicating with said first slit and extending away from said reference point in a direction generally parallel to said margin, and a movable signal strip including a signaling portion inserted in said first slit, said strip being provided at one end portion with a manipulating tab pro- 1 thereof with an inclined leading edge to guide the strip over the edge of the first slit and provided with a manipulating tab projecting generally normal to the principal axis of said strip and adapted to extend through the second slit.

5. In combination, a card or the like provided with a reference point and having a first slit therein at said reference point extending in a direction generally normal to one margin thereof, said card having a second slit communicating with said first slit and extending away from said reference point in a direction generally parallel to said margin, a movable signal strip including a signaling portion inserted in said first slit, said strip being provided at one end portion thereof with an inclined leading edge to guide the strip c er the edge of the first slit and provided with a manipulating tab projecting generally normal to the principal axis of said strip and adapted to extend through the second slit, the length of said second slit and the width of said tab being so related that the leading edge of said signaling portion registers with said reference point in one position of adjustment of said strip.

6. An index'device, comprising a card support, a transparent sheath attached to said support, an index card having one of its margins engaged by said sheath, an envelope retained in said sheath in front of said card and in superimposed relation the margin of said card whereby said card can be removed without removing said envelope, the front portion of said envelope within said sheath having a slit therein defined by at least one inclined edge, and a signaling strip movable within said sheath and through said slit to various positions with a leading edge of said strip guided by said inclined edge.

'7. In combination, a card or the like, having a reentrant edge at one side thereof to define a slit, a signal strip having a signaling portion and an end edge cooperating with and adapted to engage said slit in guided relationship therewith, means for supporting said signal strip for movement through said slit from a concealing position to other positions exposing different lengths of said signaling portion, one of said mentioned edges being inclined with respect to the direction of movement of said strip for guiding said end edge slidably past said slit, and means on said strip cooperating with said card to limit the movement of the strip from its exposing position to its concealed position.

EDWIN S. ROSCOE. 

